Destinations
Reasons you should visit Chile
Chile is about to become much more accessible for Britons, thanks to the launch of a direct British Airways flight between London Heathrow and Santiago next January. Here’s why it ought to be next on your list…
— Telegraph (London)
Best places to visit in Ibiza
A beautiful approach, meandering down through hills and valleys, brings you to the beach at Benirrás. In Ibiza’s north, this is a pretty stretch of sand and pebbles, with rocks on either side that you can clamber over, and it offers an eye-catching view across the water to an interesting rock formation known as Cap Bernat (“the hand of God” to locals)…
— The Guardian
Tours and Activities
In search of South Africa's other Big Five
It's the smell that hits us first as we approach downwind of the offshore rocks: an acrid, noxious, inescapable stench. Undeterred, our boat ventures forward, following a frothy slick being borne from the rocks by the current. As we get closer, a raucous cacophony of braying, barking and bleats comes into earshot. It's a seal colony - our first brush with wildlife on this alternative "Big Five" safari…
— The Independent
This Undiscovered Tour Is More Magical Than A Fairy Tale
You are looking for an experience of a lifetime. An adventure that does not break the bank or take 20 hours to get to. You want something off-the-beaten path, something you can brag about discovering first. Does something like this really exist? I am here to tell you it does, in Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico and it is called a chalana tour, otherwise known as the secret cenote tour of Sisal. A blend of magic and culture and super affordable with the current U.S dollar exchange rate 18 to 1 against the Peso…
— The Huffington Post
Cruise
Thomson Cruises Acquires Second Royal Caribbean Ship
Thomson Cruises has confirmed the purchase of Legend of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International. The 1,832-passenger ship will join the Thomson fleet in May 2017, and will sail under the name of TUI Discovery 2. The news comes nine days before the launch of the line's latest ship TUI Discovery -- another former Royal Caribbean ship and a sister to Legend, Splendour of the Seas…
— CruiseCritic.com
The unexpected Amazon
"The Amazon is both less and more than people imagine," expedition leader Carlos Romero says over breakfast on the first morning of our 10-day Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic cruise into Peru's Upper Amazon. "It is 'less' in the sense that people come expecting to see big animals like in a diorama and 'more' because of the biodiversity and the interconnectedness of rainforest creatures great and small, including an estimated 2.5 million insect species. There could be 10 million, we don't know."…
— Sydney Morning Herald
Transportation
Delta adds London nonstop from Portland, Ore.
Delta Air Lines will add nonstop service between Portland, Ore., and London Heathrow. Starting May 26, Delta will fly four flights a week between the cities on Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. The seasonal service will run through Oct. 29, 2017, and will be Portland's first-ever nonstop connection to the United Kingdom, The Oregonian reports. It was announced as part of a series of trans-Atlantic route adjustments being made by Delta and joint-venture partner Virgin Atlantic…
— USA Today
The airlines most likely to lose your luggage
You have been waiting for your trip for weeks. You’re packing and unpacking a few times a day because you can’t decide what to bring. You finally manage to squeeze everything into a one small bag – because you don’t want to pay another $80 for an extra bag – and you’re on your way. Then the airline loses your luggage and you have to spend more money to buy clothes until you get your suitcase back…
— Fox Travel News
Watch an Amazing Time Lapse Video of How the World Trade Center's Train Station Was Built
EarthCam released a time-lapse movie showing five years of construction on New York City's World Trade Center transportation hub in under two minutes. Watch the incredible clip…
— Travel Leisure
Lodging
The Ritz Paris Is Back
“When I dream of afterlife in heaven,” Ernest Hemingway once wrote in a letter to his friend and fellow writer A.E. Hotchner, “the action always takes place in the Paris Ritz.” It’s been awhile, but the Ritz is back in action. After a renovation that kept its doors shut for nearly four years, the Ritz Paris is reopening June 6, a few days and 118 years after its original June 1, 1898, opening and almost three months later than intended because of a fire at the property in January…
— New York Times
Chinese park turns old buses into hotels
Abandoned vehicles may not shout holiday charm, but a resort in northern China is attracting customers with its unique, cartoon-filled bus hotels…
— CNN
Other and Odd
Walk This Way: Let Your Shoes Tell You Where To Go
Why stare at your smartphone screen to get directions when you can let your sneakers guide you to your destination using Bluetooth and vibrations?…
— NPR
How One Selfie Saved Two Hikers Stuck on a Mountain in England
Selfies have been known to do much more harm than good—just take all of the people unintentionally killing animals while on the hunt for the perfect Instagram post (more on that here). Let it be known that there was at least one time a situation was bettered all thanks to one selfie. Here's the story: A couple of hikers found themselves in a precarious situation while exploring England's Peak District, specifically the Winnats Pass area of the park. With nowhere to safely go, the hikers reached out to a nearby safety crew for help…
— Travel Leisure
Today in History
Queen Elizabeth II Crowned
On this day in 1953, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was held, having been delayed almost a year since her ascension to Queen to properly mourn her father, King George VI. She was 26 years old…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
XL Airways introduces non-stop service to Paris from LAX Hello Los Angeles! French carrier XL Airways landed at LAX for the first time today. Until September 28, the airline will offer three weekly flights from Los Angeles to the City of Lights, operated with Airbus A330 aircraft. With attractive fares and French quality service, XL Airways seeks to replicate the success it has had in its three other US gateways: New York, Miami and San Francisco… — Travel Research Online
Reading Between the Lines
Hey, I'm The Customer: Solve A Problem
“Another tip, and one most sales people don’t seem to practice, is to mention only the features and benefits that relate to the needs or wants that have been identified.”
Hey, I'm The Customer — Ron Willingham, page 52
This should fall under the category of a ”no-brainer.” I am consistently amazed how sales professionals fail to pick up on the prospect’s hot button. Time and time again they fall back on their personal wealth of knowledge and spew out reams of information that is not particularly of interest to the…
— Travel Research Online Read the rest of this article »
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TRO and The Travel Institute Scholarship Program
TRO believes ongoing training is important to the health of the travel professional. Therefore, we have partnered with The Travel Institute to assist travel agents to earn their Certified Travel Associate designation. TRO will be awarding a $100 scholarship to at least one attendee of TRO webinars each webinar. If you want to be considered for the scholarship you need only to register here:
http://www.thetravelinstitute.com/troscholarship/
…and then attend TRO’s webinars. Winners will be selected and notified immediately after each webinar!
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